Couple stuck in Spain after premature baby

A woman who gave birth three months prematurely while on holiday in Spain says she and her partner are stuck abroad but cannot afford to stay.

Cai Daniels, 26, and Alis Lloyd, 20, were on their babymoon in Tenerife when Mrs Lloyd unexpectedly went into labour.

She gave birth to George at the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria.

Although George is in stable condition, the couple, from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, said their insurance does not cover their accommodation and living expenses and they will have to remain in Spain for the next eight weeks.

Mr. Daniels was scheduled to be playing golf when his partner went into labor.

“It was meant to be a relaxing break before we really got started,” he said.

“We just moved, so we haven’t finished the nursery yet. We thought we had three months left, of course.”

George was born at 9:40pm on July 19th, weighing 3 pounds. He is now breathing on his own, but still requires a feeding tube.

The couple described having a baby abroad as a “stressful” experience.

“The language barrier was a bit of a struggle. I couldn’t see Cai, and Cai couldn’t see me,” Ms. Lloyd said.

“I didn’t know anything about the baby and no one could understand me.”

While George was being delivered, Mr. Daniels had to wait in a hallway.

“I had no service on my phone and my phone was almost dead,” he said.

“So I waited for an hour. Then I saw this incubator go by with lights on it and George was in it.

“Everyone was calling me to ask what was going on, but I had no idea!”

The couple say they still haven’t processed what happened: “We keep looking at each other and saying, ‘I can’t believe we had a baby in Tenerife!'”

Five days after birth, they were able to hold baby George for the first time.

“It was so amazing. It helped us realise for the first time that we actually have a baby, it gave us such a boost,” Mr Daniels said.

“We were told to keep reading to him, so I quickly tried to download Kindle on my phone.

“The only thing I could get was Harry Potter, so there I was reading Harry Potter to a five-day-old baby.”

Because George was born prematurely, it could be eight weeks before they can fly home.

Their insurance does not cover any accommodation or living expenses and their hotel is an hour’s drive from the hospital.

They plan to move closer to the baby once Mrs. Lloyd has recovered from her caesarean section.

A taxi ride to the hospital costs around £200 and the couple estimate that travel and accommodation will cost them £6,000.

Mr Daniels considered leaving Tenerife to work and earn some extra money.

“I’m self-employed so I have to be in the UK to make money. It was terrifying, to be honest,” he said.

On Thursday, a friend of Mr Daniels set up a fundraising page to help the new parents, which has already raised more than £3,000.

Mrs Lloyd said: “I’ve had people come up to my mother on the street asking her how they could help.”

“We felt uncomfortable because we are not the type of people to ask for help,” Mr Daniels added.

“We are so grateful. It is beyond our wildest dreams.”